Thanks for that response, Angelo. I've raised this question about the seed bearing of the commonly grown form of Sternbergia lutea several times over the years, and you are the first person to confirm that there are large, broad leaved forms of Sternbergia lutea which do set seed. I wonder if any of these have ever made their way to North America. Sternbergia lutea has been grown here in eastern North America for over two hundred years, but I'll bet that most of the plants one sees in gardens now have come through the Dutch bulb trade.
Last fall I received a catalog which claimed that the Sternbergia lutea they supplied (grown by someone else) seeded around. I wrote to them to get a confirmation, but so far the jury is still out. So there might after all be seed bearing Sternbergia lutea here in North America. But I'll be a doubter until I see it with my own eyes.
I also wonder if Ben Zonneveld has done ploidy analysis of the form common in the trade.
Jim McKenney
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